Israel U21 Secures Dramatic Euro Qualifier Victory Over Slovenia
The Israel U21 national football team achieved a crucial 3-2 away victory against Slovenia in a 2027 Euro qualifier match held at the Ptuj City Stadium. The win significantly boosts Israel's chances of advancing in the tournament, particularly in their pursuit of a playoff spot.
Israel, managed by Guy Luzon, entered the game third in Group 7 with seven points from six matches, level with second-placed Bosnia but with a superior goal difference. Norway leads the group with 13 points, while the Netherlands has six. The Israeli team had recently drawn 0-0 with Bosnia, following an impressive 3-1 win over the Netherlands and a 3-0 loss to Norway. Their campaign record before this match was one win, four draws, and one loss, with six goals scored and seven conceded.
Slovenia, positioned last in the group with five points, was also fighting for a chance to stay in contention for second place. They had secured a notable 2-0 win against Norway in their previous qualifier, after a 0-0 draw with Bosnia. The previous encounter between Israel and Slovenia in this campaign ended in a 1-1 draw in October 2025.
The match saw Slovenia take an early lead in the 7th minute through Luka Topalovic. Israel equalized in the 27th minute with a goal from Tai Abed, assisted by Noam Ben Harush. Israel then took the lead in the 48th minute with a goal from Ran Benjamin, set up by Daniel Dapa after another assist from Ben Harush. Slovenia managed to equalize in the 75th minute via Matic Ilenič, with the ball slipping past goalkeeper Ofek Malika. In dramatic fashion, Niv Yehoshua scored the winning goal for Israel in the 90+2 minute from a corner kick, securing the vital three points.
Key players in the match included Tai Abed, who scored twice for Israel, and Noam Ben Harush, who provided crucial assists. Slovenia's goals came from Luka Topalovic and Matic Ilenič. The Israeli squad featured players like Ofek Malika in goal and Ran Benjamin in midfield, while Slovenia's lineup included goalkeeper Lovro Štubljar and scorer Matic Ilenič.
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